What is E-Liquid?

E-Liquid or E-Juice is a liquid mixture that’s heated and inhaled from electronic cigarettes. It produces the delicious vapor that makes e-smoking or “vaping” so great.

The flavor and amount of vapor produced is determined by the ingredients of the e-liquid being used, as well as the electrical components of the e-cig itself. The ingredients also determine nicotine content and throat hit, which is the mild burning sensation produced by some e-liquid that emulates the feel of smoke.

E-Liquid Ingredients

E-Liquid is comprised of:

Base(s): propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG)

Liquid nicotine

Artificial flavors

PG and VG have both been used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, food and medical industries for decades. And although the FDA have yet to approve e-cigs and e-liquid, both PG and VG are approved and have been classified as GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) for many years.¹

For more information on PG and VG, be sure to check out our FAQs on both propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.

PG vs VG

PG and VG are both naturally sweet and provide a certain degree of flavor on their own but their other properties are very different. As a rule, PG provides better, more distinct flavor, stronger throat hit but produces less visible vapor. VG on the other hand produces thick and very visible vapor but doesn’t allow for very distinct flavor, sometimes causing e-liquids to taste flavorless or plain sweet, rather than what they’re supposed to taste like- tobacco, chocolate, vanilla etc.

In an effort to combine the best of both PG and VG, many e-liquids use a specific mixture of PG and VG to achieve the desired effect, whether it be huge vapor production, distinct flavor, throat hit or otherwise.

Common Mixtures

80% PG to 20% VG: Allows for really great taste and some throat hit while retaining big vapor production.

70% VG and 30% PG: gives much more vapor and still some flavor, with a little throat hit.

50% PG,VG:

Less common is 100% VG or PG

Interested in E-Liquid? Click here to check out some of our e-liquid reviews

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